The hot new 2014 Mazda6 has popped onto Ward’s 10 Best Interiors list, adding to its list of accolades. With praise for the Mazda6 growing by the day, Borgman Mazda is excited to share the sedan with the Grand Rapids area. Here’s Mazda‘s press release on the recent honor.

The all-new 2014 Mazda6 was named to Ward’s Auto World‘s 10 Best Interiors list, as chosen by the publication’s editors.  The redesigned mid-size sports sedan features Mazda’s new design language called KODO “Soul of Motion,” which translates muscular movement and power into agile proportions, detailed sculpting and expressive character.  The Mazda6 also was recently named one of the top three vehicle designs in the world for 2013 by the World Car Awards.

“The automotive industry, regardless of segment, is extremely competitive,” said Jim O’Sullivan, president and CEO, Mazda North American Operations (MNAO).  “From engineering to design, auto makers are feverishly working toward finding the perfect combination of class-best numbers and emotional connections that captivates consumers wholeheartedly.  And we’ve done that with the Mazda6, a vehicle that goes beyond the expectations of its segment.”

Adds Derek Jenkins, director, Design, MNAO, “With our all-new products, we were able to start with a clean-sheet approach.  Where Mazda’s Research & Development teams revolutionized the engine and bolted underpinnings, Design re-sculpted the heavy layers and created a vehicle that offers a lean yet commanding aesthetic appeal, inside and out.”

All new or significantly changed production vehicles are eligible for review by the editors of WardsAuto.  Interiors are rated based on material selection, ergonomics, driver information, safety, overall value, touch points/comfort, fit and finish as well as aesthetics/design harmony.  There is no price cap for vehicle entries.  The 2014 Mazda6 Grand Touring was entered this year.

The awards had previously been called “Auto Interiors of the Year” as part of the annual Auto Interiors Show held in Detroit.  WardsAuto now presents the honor as Ward’s 10 Best Interiors, a centerpiece of its WardsAutoInteriors Conference, to be held this year on May 22 in Dearborn, Mich.  Previous Mazda vehicles named to the list are the Mazda5 (2008), MAZDASPEED3 (2010) and CX-5 (2012).

The 2014 Mazda6 starts at $20,880¹ MSRP and is the second vehicle in the Mazda lineup to fully incorporateSKYACTIV®² TECHNOLOGY, the brand’s engineering philosophy of building fuel efficient vehicles without compromising power and dynamics.  Mazda6 offers both powerful performance and improved fuel economy, with a best-in-class 38 miles per gallon (MPG) on the highway, as rated by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and also was recently named a Top Safety Pick+ by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS).

On sale now, the 2014 Mazda6 is fitted with a SKYACTIV-G 2.5-liter gasoline engine, which can be paired with a choice of transmissions: the SKYACTIV-MT six-speed manual transmission or SKYACTIV-Drive six-speed automatic.  A SKYACTIV-D 2.2-liter clean diesel engine as well as the i-ELOOP brake energy regeneration system will be offered during the second half of the year.